Falling For You (Honey Leaf Lodge #1)

Chapter Nineteen

Owen

I sat in my truck outside Buttercup Lake’s coffee shop. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles had gone white. The engine was still running, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn it off and step outside.

Not yet.

The whole town felt suffocating now. The weight of what I’d done was pressing down on me from every angle. It felt like everyone knew I was the out-of-towner who'd ruined one family’s hopes and dreams.

The thought made me disgusted.

And I think last year, I laughed about it with my brother.

What was wrong with me?

I’d just walked away from Violet. I had told her the truth about the land deal. The look on her face when I confessed—God, it was like I’d gutted her right there on the spot.

I could still see the shock in her eyes, the pain that followed so fast was like a knife twisting deep inside her. And I put it there.

The one person who had made me care about something other than business and the endless pursuit of money… and I had destroyed it all.

I had destroyed her in less than a week.

This was why I wasn’t cut out for relationships.

And what had I been left with after all this heartache? Nothing but guilt and the knowledge that I was exactly the kind of person I had always thought I was.

An ass.

The engine hummed softly beneath me, but I didn’t move.

Buttercup Lake had felt like a second chance since I arrived.

No, that wasn’t true.

Buttercup Lake felt like a second chance the moment I met Violet.

This last week had been a break from the constant grind. I hadn’t planned on meeting someone like Violet.

I never expected to care about someone like this. But she made me see the world differently. Yet here I was, sitting in my truck, knowing I’d ruined everything.

The deal was set to close tomorrow. I’d been part of the machine that swallowed small towns like this whole.

And for once, I actually cared.

But it was too late.

I couldn’t face Violet again.

Not now.

I needed something to ground me before I lost it completely. My eyes flicked to the coffee shop, and I spotted Abby inside. She seemed like a close friend of Violet’s. Maybe she could tell me if there was any hope or if I’d truly lost the one person I finally cared about.

The warm lights spilled onto the sidewalk. With as cold as I felt inside, it looked inviting and warm.

Maybe I could go in, get a coffee, and find some clarity. I had no idea how coffee would fix any of this, but I needed to do something.

With a sigh, I turned off the engine and stepped out into the crisp evening air. I wasn’t sure if I could stomach talking to anyone right now, but the alternative was sitting in my truck or hotel room, drowning in my own guilt.

I pushed open the coffee shop’s door, and the familiar aromas of fresh coffee and baked goods washed over me. The place was cozy, filled with a handful of regulars chatting at their tables. Buttercup Lake’s residents weren’t shy about conversations, and I knew most of them could probably sense something was off in the town.

Abby, the owner, stood behind the counter, wiping down a few mugs. She looked up as the door closed behind me. Her expression softened into a welcoming smile.

“Owen, haven’t seen you in a few days,” she said, her tone as friendly as ever. “Can I get you your usual?”

“You know my usual after a week?” I looked at her, amazed.

“Of course. It’s how I stay in business. I know my customers.” She chuckled. “That and we’re kind of in the middle of nowhere, and people need their caffeine.”

I smiled, feeling even worse, knowing that the resort’s plans included a coffee shop.

“Yeah, that’d be great. Thanks.”

My legs felt heavier than usual as I went to the counter to pay.

When Abby turned her back to start my latte, I leaned against the counter and rubbed my face with both hands. I was exhausted—mentally, emotionally, physically. All I could think about was how I’d let money ruin everything again. I didn’t want to be this guy anymore, but I had no idea how to stop.

Abby slid the cup of coffee toward me and gave me a long, thoughtful look. “You don’t look so good, Owen,” she said gently. “Everything alright?”

I hesitated, unsure whether I could bring myself to admit how much of a mess I was. “It’s been… rough.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Rough? I’m guessing this has something to do with that sweet girl you’ve been seeing.”

The mention of Violet sent a fresh wave of guilt crashing over me. I exhaled slowly. “Yeah.”

Abby wiped her hands on a towel and motioned for me to sit at one of the tables. “Come on, sit down. You look like you could use a real conversation.”

I didn’t argue. I took my latte and followed her to a small table by the window. I collapsed into the chair like all the energy had drained out of me.

She sat across from me, watching me closely.

“What’s going on, Owen?” she asked, her voice soft but steady. “You can tell me. I’ve seen plenty of people come through here with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Whatever it is, I’m sure it’ll make more sense if you say it out loud.”

I stared down at my coffee. My fingers tightened around the mug. “It’s about the land next to the lodge. Violet’s family’s place.”

Abby’s eyebrows knitted together, her expression growing more serious. “I’ve heard some rumblings. Go on.”

I took a long breath, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. “My partners and I… we’re buying it. The deal closes tomorrow. We offered Vern twenty percent over whatever Violet’s parents could come up with. I knew they wouldn’t be able to compete, but I didn’t stop it. I… I just let it happen.”

Abby’s lips pressed into a thin line, and I could see the disappointment in her eyes. “Violet’s parents were supposed to have first dibs on that land. Everybody knew that.”

“Everybody in town. Obviously, Vern didn’t mention it to us,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “And I knew what it would do to her and her family. But I didn’t say anything. I didn’t warn her. I just… let the deal happen. Vern made us sign an NDA, and I abided by it.”

Abby shook her head slowly. The disappointment became more like sadness. “Owen, you know this town doesn’t take kindly to that kind of thing. People here… depend on their neighbors and their word. It’s not about who can offer more money. It’s about trust.” She shook her head. “I’m stunned that Vern would be so sneaky.”

“It’s our fault. If I’d never scouted this place last year, none of this would have happened.”

“You came here scouting last year?”

I nodded. “It’s been in the works for a year.”

“That’s a lot to take in, even for me.”

“I know,” I muttered, my chest tightening. “I’ve ruined everything. Violet’s never going to forgive me. Hell, I don’t even know if I can forgive myself.”

Abby leaned forward, her gaze softening. “And why’d you do it? Was it really just about the money?”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to answer honestly. “At first, it was just business. I like challenges. I like watching my ideas come to life. But then… I got to know Violet. I started caring about her. And the more I cared, the worse I felt about the deal. I should’ve told her everything from the start. But I didn’t, and now…”

“Now it’s blown up in your face,” Abby finished for me, her voice calm but firm. “Owen, money doesn’t fix everything. In fact, it usually just makes things more complicated.”

I couldn’t argue with that. I stared down at the coffee before me, my mind racing. Abby was right—the money had complicated everything. It had twisted my priorities, turned something beautiful into something tainted. I didn’t know how to make it right. Violet probably hated me now. She had every right to.

Before I could respond, Abby’s husband emerged from the back. He wiped his hands on a rag.

He must have overheard our conversation because he walked over and gave me a knowing look.

“So,” he said, pulling up a chair next to Abby, “you’re the one buying up that land, huh? My name is Elijah, by the way.”

I nodded, guilt twisting inside me. “Yeah. That’s me.”

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “I’ve been hearing about this deal for a while now. Didn’t know you were part of it, though. What’re your plans for that land?”

“Resort,” I said quietly. The word tasted bitter in my mouth. “A big one. It’s supposed to bring in more tourism.”

He let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “A resort, huh? Do you really think that’s what this town needs? Is that how you spun it to our village leaders?”

“Yeah. They seemed pretty happy about it.”

“Do you think the townspeople will be?”

“No,” I admitted. “I don’t think so at all. But I let it happen anyway.”

Abby and her husband exchanged a look, and I felt like I was being judged by the whole town in that one glance.

I also knew I deserved it.

“You know,” Abby said, leaning forward again, “this town doesn’t forget easily. Especially when someone goes against the grain like this. People around here don’t like big changes, especially ones that hurt those they care about.”

“I know,” I said, my chest tight. “But what can I do now? The deal’s closing tomorrow.”

Elijah rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment. “Well, you could start by telling the truth to everyone involved. You owe Violet’s family that much, at least.”

“And you need to be ready,” Abby added, her tone serious. “Once word gets out, this town will turn cold on you, Owen. You'd better be ready for something big. People here will rally around Violet and her family. They won’t let this go quietly.”

I knew they were right. I knew I had to face the consequences of what I’d done. But the thought of losing Violet—of losing the one person who had made me feel like there was more to life than money—was almost unbearable.

“I don’t know if I can fix it,” I said, my voice hollow.

“You can’t always fix everything. But you can try to make it right.” He looked at me.

I nodded, though I wasn’t sure how to begin doing that.

As I sat there, staring out the window of the coffee shop, I realized that for the first time in my life, I wished I hadn’t made the deal. I wished I had cared more about the people I was hurting than the money I was making.

And I wished, more than anything, that I hadn’t lost Violet.

But it was too late for wishes.

When I told my brother about this last year, he gave me all the warnings. He saw this trainwreck a mile away. He even asked me about the family business next door, and I laughed it off. Who was laughing now?

I took a sip of my latte and let out a deep sigh, knowing there was absolutely nothing I could do to right the wrongs I’d done, and it was the loneliest feeling in the world.